Wegman’s – ChaddsFordLive.com

Carcinogen found in Chadds Ford groundwater

A cancer-causing chemical used in the dry cleaning industry was found in Chadds Ford Township groundwater along Route 202.

According to Chadds Ford Township engineer Joe Mastronardo, tetracloroethylene was found in the soil, ground and surface water behind the dry cleaners on Route 202 across from Hillman Drive. While the chemical is a known carcinogen, Mastronardo said there is no danger.

“Nobody drinks groundwater,” he said.

Businesses in that area used public water.

The property was purchased as part of the Chadds Ford side of the Wegmans’ development. The southeast leg of the loop road will be in that area, not the supermarket.

Carlino Construction, the developer, and a former property owner have already submitted a remediation plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Mastronardo said.

The site will be cleaned with the soil removed and DEP will continue to monitor the site to assure levels of the chemicals continue to decline. No occupancy certificates can be issued — and the township will not take dedication of the road — unless and until DEP says the site is clean.

Township supervisors are planning an informational meeting on the matter to keep residents informed, but no date has yet been set.

Supervisors’ Chairman Keith Klaver said the contaminant is contained and there’s been no migration. He also said representatives from Carlino will keep supervisors updated by providing them with DEP reports and updates.

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Chadds Ford zoning board OKs Wegman’s; hears Audi start up

Local News

The proposed Wegman’s supermarket has cleared another hurdle and now only has one more to go.

After getting zoning, land use and conditional use approval from Concord Township, and a Planning Commission recommendation in Chadds Ford, it now has zoning approval in Chadds Ford Township.

On Dec. 18, the Chadds Ford Zoning Hearing Board voted 3-0 to grant the needed variances for the project. Those variances include allowing a parcel of land adjacent to the Concord Township border to be used for parking only. That section of land is in the Light Industrial district where parking is only allowed as an accessory use, not primary.

The developer, Chadds Ford Investors, also reached an agreement with Applied Card to move a guard shack on Applied Card Way closer to Route 202 to prevent Wegman’s traffic from entering Applied Card property.

All that’s left now is approval from the Chadds Ford Board of Supervisors. The developer will ask for that when the board meets on Jan. 6. If approval is given, work is expected to begin in January and be finished in 18 to 20 months.

The zoning board also heard a request for several variances to allow an Audi auto dealership — Audi West Chester — to be built along Route 202, about 500 feet south of Dilworthtown Road, between the Wawa and Mr. Mulch.

According to the applicant’s attorney and three witnesses, nine variances are needed. Among them are variances for front and rear yard setbacks, impervious coverage, signage and outdoor storage — two parking spaces for inventory cars.

The need for the variances arises from the fact that the land is located in both Chadds Ford and Thornbury townships, with about two-thirds of the property in Chadds Ford. Each side has different zoning and there is a 16-foot grade difference between the two townships at the site.

To overcome some of the obstacles from Thornbury, the proposal would have inventory parking for more than 100 cars on the lower level in Thornbury, with the showroom, offices and service area in Chadds Ford. To minimize the footprint, the building is two-story, with the showroom on the upper level and the service department built into the steep slope on the ground level. Only the showroom would be visible from Route 202.

Access to the building is from Route 202 only and would be right in and right out with customer parking on the north and south sides of the building. Only employees would drive cars needing service between the upper and lower levels. Car deliveries would only be from northbound Route 202.

Signage could be an issue. Township code allows for 20 square feet of signage. The request is for more, much more.

A sign reading Audi West Chester on the front of the building is 30 square feet and an Audi logo — the four in-line interlocking rings — is more that 63 square feet. And there would be three of them, one on the front of the building and one each on the north and south facing sides. Also planned is a 27.5 square foot sign above a service receiving area on the upper level, and a 12-foot by-4 foot monument sign along Route 202.

After three witnesses, the hearing was continued to January.

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Wegmans Project Moves to Chadds Ford

Local News Chadds Ford

The ball is now in Chadds Ford’s court. Concord Township supervisors on Dec. 10 gave both conditional use and land development approval for a Wegman’s along Applied Card Way, but Chadds Ford Township supervisors need to give their approval for the Chadds Ford side of the development.

Two parcels of land in Chadds Ford are needed to complete the plan. One parcel, the one adjacent to Concord, will be used for parking and the other parcel will be for several retail stores. There will be no decision by Chadds Ford supervisors until sometime in 2014.

Most of the conditions placed on the development by Concord supervisors are routine in nature, such as getting all necessary permits and adhering to provisions in engineering review letters.

One condition, however, is functional. The developer is required to build the southeast segment of the loop road that would allow motorists to drive between routes 1 and 202 without going through the intersection.

That segment of the loop would begin on Route 1 at Applied Card Way and arc through the development in Concord and then into Chadds Ford, ending at Route 202 across from Hillman Drive. Concord’s condition requires the developer to complete that Chadds Ford Township section.

Developer Peter Miller said after the decision that work could begin sometime in February if he gets Chadds Ford Township approval in January.

The Chadds Ford Planning Commission voted Dec. 11 to recommend the supervisors approve the plan for a 19,000 square foot retail pad on one of the parcels.

In addition to approval for the retail portion of the development, Miller also needs zoning relief for parking and for moving a guard shack.

The parcel to be use for parking is zoned to allow parking as an accessory use, but there will be no building on that parcel. It will be parking only. In addition, a guard shack must be moved into the Chadds Ford section of the existing Applied Card Way to prevent unauthorized people from going onto Applied Card property.

The next zoning hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18.

Assuming all goes well, Miller said he expects to begin the site work in February and finish the project in 18 to 20 months.

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Concord closes Wegman’s hearing

Local News

The bureaucratic hurdles are coming to an end for a proposed Wegman’s grocery store in Concord Township. Supervisors there closed a conditional use hearing on Dec. 3 and are expected to render their decision on Dec. 10 at 6:45 p.m.

The board is also expected to give its decision on the Wegman’s land use application that same night. Concord’s Planning Commission has recommended approval.

Dennis Glacken, the applicant’s land planner, said the final plan is pretty much the same as was previously proposed. The only changes were in the number of parking spaces and some modifications to the shape of the building. While the shape has changed, it’s still a 140,000 square foot building.

Glacken said the total number of parking spaces was reduced from 804 to 752, but that’s still more than the 620 spaces required by Concord’s ordinance. The spaces were reduced because of the inclusion of several islands in the parking lot.

There could still be more parking if the Chadds Ford Zoning Hearing Board grants a variance for parking only use on an adjacent piece of property in Chadds Ford. That decision could come on Dec. 18.

Wegman’s wants parking on the adjacent property near the store’s planned outdoor seating area.

There was no opposition during the Dec. 3 hearing. Whole Foods and Applied Card had initial opposition, but Whole Foods, through attorney Rocco Imperatrice, and Wegman’s reached an agreement regarding traffic.

Wegman’s attorney Robert Gundlach and Garth Hoyt, representing Applied Card, are working on an agreement whereby Wegman’s will pay to move a guard shack so motorists won’t try to get to Wegman’s through Applied Card Way off of Route 202.

The piece of Applied Card Way at Route 1 will become part of the southeast segment of the loop road allowing drivers to go between routes 1 and 202 without using the main intersection. Completing that section of the loop road will be one of the conditions required for approving the project.

December’s session was a continuance from a hearing in May that dealt with conditional use and a text change to the zoning code. That text change was approved and part of that allows for a single store of more than 65,000 square feet, but only with conditional use approval.

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Concord OKs zoning change pertaining to Wegman’s

Local News

A Wegman’s supermarket is one bureaucratic step closer to becoming a reality in Concord Township. Major steps are still ahead, though.

Supervisors voted June 4 to approve a text amendment and new map for a Loop Road Overlay District that would allow for a Wegman’s in the area of Applied Card Way, Route 1 and Route 202.

That’s still a long way off, however. Before the project can even start, the applicant must go through a conditional use hearing and the normal land development process with the Concord Planning Commission. Those proceedings could get started in September.

Other business

Supervisors held a brief conditional use hearing for Johnny’s Wood Oven Pizzeria for the purpose of determining whether the restaurant should be approved for outdoor seating.

The restaurant is located at 95 Wilmington-West Chester Pike — Route 202 — where Cheeseburger-Cheeseburger used to be.

Owner John McElderry said the 715 square foot outdoor seating area would be in the front of the building. During testimony he said he would agree to using the area from April to October only, close the area at 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 during the rest of the week. He also agreed not to have any outdoor music, entertainment or an outside bar. The pizzeria is BYO only.

A July 11 decision is anticipated.

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Wegman’s, Keystone Plaza hearings continued

Local News

The Chadds Ford Zoning Hearing Board continued to next month, two hearings — one involving a two-township development that includes a Wegmans supermarket in Concord Township.

The development is planned for one parcel of 33 acres. That parcel extends across the two townships in the area bordered by Route 202 and Applied Card Way, across from Hillman Drive.

The Concord Township side would include the Wegmans with parking, while the Chadds Ford portion — about 13 acres — would include retail shopping in an area zoned PBC, and an additional 181 parking spaces in a triangular piece of land that’s zoned for light industrial. Those parking spaces run along the township border at the side of the supermarket.

At issue is whether or not those 181 parking spaces are allowed or if a variance is needed. According to township code, parking is permitted in the LI district as an accessory use. The township’s interpretation is that a variance is needed because no building is planned in that area.

The developer is Chadds Ford Investors, a group made up of the Hineman family —which owns the property — and Carlino Commercial Development. Peter S. Miller, president of Carlino, said the development would also include building the southeast section of the loop road between northbound Route 202 and eastbound Route 1.

Opposing the application is JMVP Realty, of Concord Township, and two of its employees from Chadds Ford, Vince and Peter Abessino, brothers, who live in the Estates at Chadds Ford off of Hillman Drive.

The two briefly testified, with both saying they were concerned about increased traffic.

Also testifying was Bill Bunch of William Bunch Auction at Route 202 and Hillman Drive. He said that while traffic would increase and is a concern, “It’s a great opportunity to have access to a tremendous retail development.”

He added that the area needs the loop road to be completed.

The Chadds Ford portion of the plan also shows a garden with the previously reported upon Vietnam monument.

The Sept. 19 hearing was almost continued before it began. Attorney Garth Hoyt, representing JMVP Realty and the Abessino brothers, wanted the hearing continued before testimony began because, he said, the plans had been changed without proper notice and that he had no time to get an expert witness.

The board continued the hearing to Oct. 17.

Also continued to October was a hearing for Keystone Plaza on Route 202. Owner Andy Variale was seeking relief from the township sign ordinance so he can put up one replacement sign and one new one.

He testified that the current stand-alone sign listing the tenants is too small for motorists to read as they drive by the shopping center. He said drivers tend to slow down to read what’s there and that this causes accidents. A new sign would be larger, 24 feet by 11 feet.

Variale also requested approval for an LED sign.

Board members Bob Reardon, Joe Vaites and Paul Koch each indicated that they were opposed to the LED sign and wanted the tenants’ sign smaller.

Reardon, board chairman, suggested the continuance so the applicant can revise the plan.

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Developer has plans for Vietnam monument

Local News

The developer of a planned shopping center in Concord Township wants to include the 46-year-old Vietnam monument in its Chadds Ford Township entrance area.

Carlino Commercial Development is the developer of the property that will have a Wegman’s food store as its anchor in Concord. There is a planned entrance from Chadds Ford along Route 202 across from Hillman Drive.

Peter S. Miller, president of Carlino, said it’s his company that’s planning to include the monument, not the Wegman’s company.

“We’re happy to move the monument to give it a respectful place within our public space of our development. I think it will be a perfect gathering spot,” Miller said.

He added that while Wegman’s is not financially involved with moving the monument, the company is showing its support by approving the overall plan.

The monument is currently on an adjacent parcel that is planned as part of a deceleration lane for the southeast portion of the loop road that will connect routes 1 and 202. It was dedicated Nov. 11, 1966, in honor of the Delaware County men who fought in Vietnam and is thought by some to be the first Vietnam memorial in the country.

Beyond the memorial’s dedication date listed on the plaque, no one seems to know anything about its history. Searches of three different historical societies and two newspapers have revealed no information. Part of the monument’s stone base is deteriorating from weather, neglect and, possibly, vandalism.

“We’re going to create a public green space,” Miller said. “The monument will be a focal point of that green space area.”

Steve Quigley, of Concord Towing, brought the status of the monument to public attention. He’s glad to see some action is planned, but remains cautious.

“We need to see the details of the builder’s plans,” he said in an e-mail. “Our main concern is that it stay in the township and that it be taken care of, not neglected as it has been in the past. The monument still needs to be rebuilt.”

Quigley said he thinks there’s a better location.

“Our hope is that we be able to relocate it to the township building. The monument needs to be seen by the public, it needs to be in a public area where visitors can stop by, have a place to park their vehicles and pay their respects. That’s always been the goal.”

Miller will be taking some of the plans to the Chadds Ford Zoning Hearing Board on Sept. 19, seeking a variance to allow for parking in the area zoned as Light Industrial.

Photo caption: Vietnam veterans have been tending to the long-neglected monument since learning of its existence in early August. The vets have policed the immediate area by pulling weeds and planting U.S. military service flags. (Photo by Rich Schwartzman)

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